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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27993054">Breathing's Boring</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockWatson_Holmes/pseuds/SherlockWatson_Holmes'>SherlockWatson_Holmes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sherlock Xmas 2020 Ficlets [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>221B Ficlet, 442BB Ficlet, Christmas, M/M, SherlockXmas2020, prompt: surprise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:27:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27993054</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockWatson_Holmes/pseuds/SherlockWatson_Holmes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock is upset to be alone on Christmas morning. However, there could be a surprise, or two, in store for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes/John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sherlock Xmas 2020 Ficlets [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2060931</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sherlock Xmas 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Breathing's Boring</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A ficlet written for Sherlock Xmas 2020. Prompt: Surprise</p><p>This was supposed to be a 221B, but ran a little long, so it's now a double! </p><p>A 442BB Ficlet - 442 words, the last two ending in B.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">Sherlock is sprawled out on the sofa, three nicotine patches adorning his left arm. It shouldn’t upset him, being alone on Christmas morning, it’s not as if it’s the first time, but he admits that this year hurts. It’s the first year that John is back living at 221B, and both he and Mrs. Hudson are visiting their respective sisters until New Year. No doubt John will already have a date lined up for when he gets back, Sherlock thinks, rolling his eyes at the way his stomach clenches.</p><p class="western">His self-pitying is interrupted by the slam of the door downstairs. He sighs, dramatically: Mycroft must be refusing to take no for answer this year. Sherlock plans feigns sleep, hoping he’ll leave quickly. Except… those aren’t the footsteps of an overweight man with an umbrella.</p><p class="western">Sitting up quickly, he can’t help the grin that breaks out when he sees John standing in the doorway, travel bag slung over his good shoulder, giving Sherlock his adorable boyish smirk.</p><p class="western">‘Surprise.’</p><p class="western">Sherlock stares, open-mouthed, ‘What are you doing here.’</p><p class="western">‘Nice to see you, too’, John chuckles. ‘Mycroft said that you weren’t seeing your parents this year, and Mrs H is away, so… couldn’t leave you on your own, could I?’</p><p class="western">‘Oh…’ he replies, silently cursing<em> and </em>thanking his over-bearing older brother.</p><p class="western">John laughs, ‘One night with Harry was more than enough and… well, it’s my first year back. I <em>wanted </em>to spend it with you.’</p><p class="western">Sherlock finds he can’t speak. Did John miss him as much as he missed his blogger?</p><p class="western">‘I have another surprise for you. Might be a good one, might be a ludicrous idea. If this isn’t something you want, you can just delete it and we’ll never mention it again.’ He sits down on the sofa, sideways to face Sherlock, who frowns at him in confusion. Tentatively, he brings a hand up to rest against Sherlock’s cheek, pausing there to give him the time to pull away. When he doesn’t, it’s the incentive John needs to push forward, pressing his cold, dry lips against Sherlock’s plump cupid’s bow. He tries to pull back after the chaste kiss, but Sherlock follows him, nipping and sucking on his bottom lip. It’s awkward, uncoordinated, and glorious. John attempts to angle their faces into a more comfortable arrangement, and Sherlock takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, introducing his tongue with an eagerness John didn’t expect.</p><p class="western">John breaks the kiss before it travels into bedroom territory, ‘Christ, Sherlock, you need to take a breath or you’ll pass out.’ He laughs, as his friend takes a huge gulp of air.</p><p class="western">‘Oh, John, haven't you heard? Breathing’s boring.’</p>
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